Australian workers burnout is showing up in rising sick‑leave figures, according to a new People2people Recruitment study that highlights growing mental‑exhaustion across the nation’s labour force.
Survey finds more than half needed time off for mental fatigue
The research, which surveyed a broad cross‑section of employees, revealed that 52 percent of respondents had taken sick leave because of burnout in the past year. Nearly one‑third reported needing such leave in the last twelve months alone. The data points to a shift from isolated cases to a widespread workplace concern.
About 29 percent of those polled said they regularly work five to ten hours of overtime each week. One in two workers said they log on outside regular office hours at least once a week to catch up on tasks, while 20 percent admit to logging on every evening. These patterns suggest that the boundary between work and personal time is increasingly blurred.
Workplace culture and unrealistic targets fuel stress
Nearly half of participants—48 percent—identified poor workplace culture as the biggest threat to their wellbeing. Unrealistic key performance indicators (KPIs) were named by 25 percent of respondents as a major driver of stress, with staff shortages (15 percent) and lack of flexibility (12 percent) also cited.
Suhini Wijayasinghe, head of HR solutions at People2people Recruitment, described the findings as “concerning,” noting that burnout is no longer confined to a small group of workers. “When more than half of workers have needed time off because they were mentally exhausted, it tells us this is no longer an individual resilience issue. It’s a workplace issue,” she said.
Related: CBM warns UK steel safeguards only delay decline
She added that the problem extends beyond workload, encompassing environments that impose constant pressure and unrealistic expectations while offering little room for recovery. “Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected, but it has also created an expectation of constant availability. Many employees feel like the workday never really ends,” Wijayasinghe explained.
When employees consistently work additional hours, answer emails at night, and spend weekends catching up, the toll becomes evident. The cost of burnout, according to the report, goes beyond sick leave, affecting productivity, engagement, retention, absenteeism and overall business performance.
Addressing burnout demands coordinated action from both employers and employees. “The most effective way to tackle burnout is prevention. Employees shouldn’t have to reach the point of exhaustion before action is taken. Organisations that prioritise healthy workloads, supportive leadership and realistic expectations will be the ones that retain and engage their people long term,” she asserted.
For many workers, the shift toward constant connectivity means that evenings and weekends are no longer guaranteed downtime. This reality can erode the mental buffer needed to recover from daily pressures, potentially leading to a cycle of increasing absenteeism and decreased morale.